Sometimes, proximity is all that's needed to set off whispers of a hookup. Case in point: Taylor Swift sparked romance rumors when she was photographed on the Fourth of July in and around the personal space of Patrick Schwarzenegger, the model son of Arnold and Maria Shriver.

The doll-faced crooner, 22, spent the holiday with the extended Kennedy clan at their compound in Hyannis Port, Mass., where she was spied laughing with Patrick and taking a walk with him on the beach.

"Had such an amazing day. Best 4th of July I could ask for," tweeted Schwarzenegger, who just returned from a post-high school graduation trip to Europe with some buddies.

Still, he probably had stiff competition for Swift's attention. She's a huge fan of Ethel Kennedy, and in January surfaced at the Sundance Film Festival to support "Ethel," Rory Kennedy's documentary on her mom.

On Wednesday, she was snapped hitching a ride on the back of a golf cart driven by the octogenarian, no Patrick in sight.

"The only time in my life I have ever been starstruck was meeting Caroline and Ethel Kennedy," Taylor told the February issue of Vogue. "She is one of my favorites because you look back at the pictures of her and Bobby and they always look like they are having the most fun out of everybody. You know, eleven kids, all these exotic animals on their property. I've read a lot about them."

Swift, whose pal, Dianna Agron, was along for the Independence Day festivities, also joined the Kennedy family for a game of flag football and a boat ride.

"Arrived at my grandma's house to find her chilling with Taylor swift and dianna agron," tweeted Kerry Townsend. "I hope I'm this cool when I'm 83."

Whether the sweetie-pie singer was drawn more to the Kennedy aura or Patrick's toothy good looks remains a question mark. Less doubtful: That the holiday will eventually be immortalized in song.

Swift has been flying solo since calling it quits last year with Jake Gyllenhaal. Last month, rumored former flame John Mayer whined about the humiliation of getting the Swift-y treatment in her ditty "Dear John."